Oscar-nominated director, Lee Daniels, sports icon Billie Jean King and Academy-award winning actress Olympia Dukakis, among others, will headline the 16th Annual Workplace Summit taking place in San Francisco Nov. 3 – 6. 3,000+ participants are expected to attend, representing both small and large businesses (including Fortune 500 companies), government agencies, LGBT leaders and many people who advocate for LGBT rights around the globe.
The Summit is focused on furthering Out & Equal’s mission of building a workplace that celebrates diversity and equality. Given that employees can still be fired in 29 states simply for being LGBT, there is much work still to be done to build equitable workplaces around the country.
“The Out & Equal Workplace Summit represents a global commitment to building a world free of discrimination,” said Selisse Berry, founder and chief executive officer of Out & Equal. “In 29 U.S. states, employers are able to fire employees simply based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. With strong support and assistance of our corporate partners, we will continue to work tirelessly to eliminate this blatant discrimination.”
With the U.S. Supreme Court expected to soon decide which marriage equality case (or cases) they will hear during their next session, equality-related issues are expected to remain front and center for months to come.
“I could not be more proud to participate in this year’s Workplace Summit and will continue doing my part to advance equality for everyone,” said Dukakis. “Government leaders must take a stand against all forms of discrimination and provide a safe workplace environment for employees in every state. Until that job is complete, I’ll support the efforts of corporate professionals and leaders who are leading the charge themselves, one company at a time.”
CEOs from all parts of the world agree that Out & Equal plays a vital role in corporate evolution furthering LGBT rights. Earlier this year, companies such as Coca-Cola in Georgia and Marriott International in Arizona led the opposition to proposed anti-gay legislation. Many corporations now recognize that a diverse workplace provides businesses with innovative ideas, a greater talent pool and a path to a broader public. This trend has resulted in Fortune 500 companies further supporting an inclusive workplace with access to many diverse populations, including LGBT business professionals.
During the conference, Out & Equal also announces the recipients of its annual Workplace Awards, “The Outies.” The Outies honor individuals and organizations that are leading the way to advance LGBT workplace equality, while providing the community with stellar examples of innovative and successful leadership strategies. In 2013, The Dow Chemical Company earned The Workplace Excellence Award. Past Outie Award winners are listed at: http://outandequal.org/outiewinners.
Registration fees to participate in the 2014 Workplace Summit (if booked by Oct. 15) begin at $220 (leadership seminars only). One-day passes begin at $605 and the three-day, full conference registration fee is $1,725. For more details or to register for the event, please visit http://outandequal.org/summit.
